Terminal device configured to initiate printing based on distance from printing device

ABSTRACT

A terminal device performs operations includes: a file information receiving process to receive M pieces of file information for identifying M image files from a printer storing M image files; a specific signal receiving process to receive a specific signal from the printer; a determination process to determine whether an inter-device distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance by using a received radio field intensity of the specific signal; a selection process to select N pieces of file information, which is a part of the M pieces of file information when it is determined in the determination process that the inter-device distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance; and a print instruction transmission process to not transmit the print instruction to the printer when it is determined that the inter-device distance is not equal to or less than the predetermined distance.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/201,000, filed Nov. 27, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/715,388 filed Sep. 26, 2017, issued as U.S. Pat.No. 10,148,847 on Dec. 4, 2018, which claims priority from JapanesePatent Application No. 2016-230536 filed on Nov. 28, 2016, the entiresubject matter of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present specification discloses a terminal device that transmits aprint instruction to a printer and causes the printer to performprinting according to an image file.

BACKGROUND

The background art discloses a printing system including a mobileterminal, a host computer, and a printer. The printer receives a printfile to be printed from the host computer and stores the print file. Themobile terminal receives identification information of the printer fromthe host computer and stores the identification information. When anadvertise packet including the identification information of the printeris received from the printer, the mobile terminal determines that thestored identification information coincides with identificationinformation of the advertise packet, according to Bluetooth (registeredtrademark) Low Energy (BLE). In this case, the mobile terminalcalculates a distance between the mobile terminal and the printer on thebasis of an output radio field intensity value included in the advertisepacket. When the calculated distance is smaller than a predetermineddistance, the mobile terminal transmits a print instruction to theprinter.

SUMMARY

The background art does not consider the situation in which the printerstores a plurality of print files and does not disclose that the printeris allowed to perform printing according to some of the plurality ofprint files.

The present specification discloses a technology in which a terminaldevice causes a printer to perform printing according to some of aplurality of image files stored in the printer.

A terminal device of this disclosure includes: memory storinginstructions, and a processor, when executing the instructions stored inthe memory, perform operations comprising: a file information receivingprocess to receive M pieces of file information for identifying M imagefiles from a printer storing M image files, M being an integer equal toor more than two; a specific signal receiving process to receive aspecific signal from the printer; a determination process to determinewhether an inter-device distance, which is a distance between theterminal device and the printer, is equal to or less than apredetermined distance by using a received radio field intensity of thespecific signal; a selection process to select N pieces of fileinformation, which is a part of the M pieces of file information, amongthe received M pieces of file information when it is determined in thedetermination process that the inter-device distance is equal to or lessthan the predetermined distance, N being an integer equal to or morethan 1 and smaller than M; and a print instruction transmission processto transmit, to the printer, a print instruction for causing the printerto perform printing according to N image files identified by theselected N pieces of file information among the M image files, when itis determined in the determination process that the inter-devicedistance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance; and nottransmit the print instruction to the printer when it is determined inthe determination process that the inter-device distance is not equal toor less than the predetermined distance.

According to the above configuration, when the distance between theprinter storing the M image files and the terminal device is equal to orless than the predetermined distance, the terminal device selects the Npieces of file information which is a part of the M pieces of fileinformation and transmits the print instruction for causing the printerto perform the printing according to the N image files. In this way, theterminal device can allow the printer to perform the printing accordingto the N image files which is a part of the M image files.

A control method for implementing the terminal device, a computerprogram, and a computer readable recording medium storing the computerprogram are also newly useful. Furthermore, a communication systemincluding the terminal device and the printer is also newly useful.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of thisdisclosure will become more apparent from the following detaileddescriptions considered with the reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a communication system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a file transmission process of firstto third examples;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a print instruction process of thefirst and second examples;

FIG. 4 illustrates a sequence diagram of the first and second examples;

FIG. 5 illustrates a subsequent sequence diagram of FIG. 4 of the firstexample;

FIG. 6 illustrates a subsequent sequence diagram of FIG. 4 of the secondexample;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of a print instruction process of thethird example;

FIG. 8 illustrates a sequence diagram of the third example; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a subsequent sequence diagram of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION First Example

(Configuration of Communication System)

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a communication system includes a plurality ofportable terminals 10 and 50, a plurality of printers 100 and 200, andan access point (AP) 300. Each of the devices 10, 50, 100, and 200 canperform radio communication (hereinafter, referred to as “Wi-Ficommunication”) according to a Wi-Fi system via the AP 300. Each of thedevices 10, 50, 100, and 200 can perform radio communication(hereinafter, referred to as “BT communication”) according to aBluetooth system.

(Configuration of Portable Terminals 10 and 50)

The portable terminal 10 and the portable terminal 50 have the sameconfiguration. Hereinafter, the configuration of the portable terminal10 will be described and a description of the configuration of theportable terminal 50 will be omitted.

Examples of the portable terminal 10 includes a portable terminal devicesuch as a mobile phone (for example, a smart phone), a PDA, a note PC, atablet PC, a portable music reproducing apparatus, and a portable movingpicture reproducing apparatus. The portable terminal 10 includes anoperating unit 12, a display 14, a Wi-Fi interface 20, a BT (Bluetooth)interface 22, and a controller 30. Each of the units 12 to 30 isconnected to a bus line (the reference numeral is not illustrated).Hereinafter, the interface is referred to as an “I/F”.

The operating unit 12 includes a plurality of keys. A user can operatethe operating unit 12, thereby inputting various instructions to theportable terminal 10. The display 14 displays various types ofinformation. The display 14 also serves as so-called a touch panel (thatis, also serves as an operating unit).

The Wi-Fi I/F 20 is an I/F for performing the Wi-Fi communication. TheWi-Fi system is, for example, a radio communication system based on a802.11 standard of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers, Inc) and standards (for example, 802.11a, 11b, 11g, 11n andthe like) conforming to the 802.11 standard.

The BT I/F 22 is an I/F for performing the BT communication. TheBluetooth system is, for example, a radio communication system based ona 802.15.1 standard of IEEE and standards conforming to the 802.15.1standard. More specifically, the BT I/F 22 supports BLE (Bluetooth(registered trademark) Low Energy).

The difference of the Wi-Fi system and the BT system will be described.The communication speed (for example, a maximum communication speed is600 [Mbps]) of the Wi-Fi communication is faster than the communicationspeed (for example, a maximum communication speed is 24 [Mbps]) of theBT communication. The frequency of a carrier in the Wi-Fi communicationis a 2.4 [GHz] band or a 5.0 [GHz] band. The frequency of a carrier inthe BT communication is a 2.4 [GHz] band. That is, when the 5.0 [GHz]band is employed as the frequency of the carrier in the Wi-Ficommunication, the frequency of the carrier in the Wi-Fi communicationand the frequency of the carrier in the BT communication are differentfrom each other. Furthermore, a maximum distance (for example, about 100[m]), in which the Wi-Fi communication can be performed, is larger thana maximum distance (for example, about several tens of [m]), in whichthe BT communication can be performed.

The controller 30 includes a CPU 32 and a memory 34. The CPU 32 performsvarious processes according to programs 38 and 40 stored in the memory34. The memory 34 is configured by a volatile memory, a nonvolatilememory and the like. The memory 34 stores a printing application(hereinafter, referred to as “printing app”) 40 as well as the OSsoftware 38 for implementing basic operations of the portable terminal10. The printing app 40 is an application for causing each of theprinters 100 and 200 to perform a printing function. The printing app40, for example, may be installed in the portable terminal 10 from aserver on the Internet provided by a bender of each of the printers 100and 200, or may be installed in the portable terminal 10 from mediashipped together with each of the printers 100 and 200.

(Configuration of Printers 100 and 200)

Each of the printers 100 and 200 is a peripheral device capable ofperforming the printing function, that is, a peripheral device such asthe portable terminal 10. Each of the printers 100 and 200 can performthe Wi-Fi communication and the BT communication. Particularly, each ofthe printers 100 and 200 supports the BLE.

(File Transmission Procedure of Portable Terminal 10; FIG. 2)

With reference to FIG. 2, the content of a file transmission procedure,which is performed by the CPU 32 of the portable terminal 10 accordingto the printing app 40, will be described. The CPU 32 employs, as atrigger, the execution by a user of a starting operation for startingthe printing app 40 and a search operation for searching for one or moreprinters belonging to a Wi-Fi-based network (hereinafter, referred to as“Wi-Fi NW”) to which the portable terminal 10 belongs, thereby startingthe procedure of FIG. 2.

In S5, the CPU 32 transmits a printer search signal for searching for aprinter via the Wi-Fi I/F 20 in a broadcast manner.

In S8, the CPU 32 receives one or more printer IDs for identifying theprinters from each of the one or more printers 100 and 200 belonging tothe Wi-Fi NW via the Wi-Fi I/F 20. The CPU 32 causes the display 14 todisplay a printer selection screen including the received one or moreprinter IDs. The printer selection screen is a screen for causing a userto select a printer ID of a printer”” which should perform printing(hereinafter, referred to as a “target printer”).

In S10, the CPU 32 monitors whether one printer ID is selected by auser. When the one printer ID is selected, the CPU 32 determines thatthe determination result is YES in S10 and causes the memory 34 to storethe selected printer ID in S15.

In S20, the CPU 32 monitors whether one image file, which indicates animage to be printed among one or more image files stored in the memory34, and print setting for printing according to the image file areselected by a user. Examples of the print setting include a size of aprinting paper (that is, a paper size), the presence or absence ofexecution of duplex printing, a color number (that is, monochromeprinting and color printing) and the like. When the image file and theprint setting are selected (YES in S20), the CPU 32 proceeds to S25.Hereinafter, the image file selected in S20 is called a “target imagefile”.

In S25, the CPU 32 transmits a file name of the target image file andthe print setting selected in S20 to the target printer via the Wi-FiI/F 20.

In S30, the CPU 32 transmits a standby instruction including the filename of the target image file to the target printer via the Wi-Fi I/F20. The standby instruction is an instruction for delaying execution ofprinting according to the target image file. In this way, even thoughthe target image file is transmitted to the target printer, printingaccording to the target image file is not performed so long as a printinstruction (S70 of FIG. 3), which will be described later, is nottransmitted to the target printer.

In S35, the CPU 32 transmits the target image file to the printer viathe Wi-Fi I/F 20.

In S38, the CPU 32 changes a BT monitoring flag (not illustrated) of thememory 34 from “0” to “l”. The BT monitoring flag “0” indicates that aprint instruction procedure of FIG. 3 to be described later is notperformed, and the BT monitoring flag “1” indicates that the printinstruction procedure is performed. After S38 is ended, when a userperforms an end operation for ending the printing app 40, the procedureof FIG. 2 is ended. In the case of desiring that a plurality of imagefiles are continuously transmitted to the same target printer, a usercan further select the image file and the print setting withoutperforming the end operation (S20). That is, after S38 is ended, whenthe end operation is not performed, the CPU 32 skips S5 to S15 andproceeds to S20.

As described above, the target image file, the file name, and the printsetting are transmitted to the target printer from the portable terminal10 (S25 and S35). In this case, the target printer stores a print job inwhich a job ID for identifying the print job, the target image file, thefile name, and the print setting are associated with each other.

(Print Instruction Procedure of Portable Terminal 10; FIG. 3)

Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 3, the content of the printinstruction procedure, which is performed by the CPU 32 of the portableterminal 10 according to the printing app 40, will be described. The CPU32 employs, as a trigger, the change of the BT monitoring flag to “1” inS38 of FIG. 2, thereby performing the procedure of FIG. 3.

In S40, the CPU 32 monitors whether a beacon signal is received from aprinter via the BT I/F 22. The beacon signal includes a printer ID ofthe printer which is a transmission source of the signal. When thebeacon signal is received, the CPU 32 determines that the determinationresult is YES in S40 and proceeds to S43. In the state where the BTmonitoring flag is “0”, the CPU 32 does not perform the process of FIG.3. That is, in the state where the BT monitoring flag is “0”, eventhough the Beacon signal is received from the printer via the BT I/F 22,the CPU 32 does not perform processes after S43, so that it is possibleto reduce a processing load.

In S43, the CPU 32 determines whether the printer ID of the receivedBeacon signal coincides with the printer ID in the memory 34 stored inS15 of FIG. 2. When it is determined that the two printer IDs coincidewith each other (YES in S43), the CPU 32 proceeds to S45. In this case,the printer, which is the transmission source of the received Beaconsignal, is a target printer. On the other hand, when it is determinedthat the two printer IDs do not coincide with each other (NO in S43),the CPU 32 returns to S40. In this case, since the printer, which is thetransmission source of the received Beacon signal, is a printerdifferent from the target printer, the CPU 32 does not perform processesafter S45, so that it is possible to reduce a processing load.

In S45, the CPU 32 calculates a distance between the portable terminal10 and the target printer. Specifically, firstly, the CPU 32 specifies atransmitted radio field intensity written in the Beacon signal. Thetransmitted radio field intensity is a radio field intensity of acarrier at the time of transmission of the Beacon signal. Morespecifically, the transmitted radio field intensity is equal to thereceived radio field intensity of a carrier measured at a pointseparated from the target printer, which is the transmission source ofthe Beacon signal, by 1 m. The vender of each of the printers 100 and200 has measured in advance the received radio field intensity of acarrier measured at a point separated from each of the printers 100 and200 by 1 m, and has adjusted each of the printers 100 and 200 such thatthe measured received radio field intensity is written in the Beaconsignal as the transmitted radio field intensity. Next, the CPU 32acquires a received radio field intensity, which is the radio fieldintensity of a carrier at the time of reception of the Beacon signal,from the BT I/F 22. Then, the CPU 32 puts the specified transmittedradio field intensity and the acquired received radio field intensityinto a formula shown in S45, thereby calculating the distance betweenthe portable terminal 10 and the target printer.

In S50, the CPU 32 determines whether the calculated distance is equalto or less than a predetermined distance. When it is determined that thecalculated distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance(YES in S50), the CPU 32 proceeds to S55. When it is determined that thecalculated distance is not equal to or less than the predetermineddistance (NO in S50), the CPU 32 returns to S40 without performingprocesses after S55. In the present embodiment, the predetermineddistance of S50 is a distance (for example, 0.5 m) sufficiently smallerthan a maximum distance in which the BT communication can be performed.In this way, when the distance between a user of the portable terminal10 and the target printer is larger than the predetermined distance(that is, when the user is not able to quickly collect printed mattersfrom the target printer), it is possible to suppress printing from beingperformed in the target printer. It is possible to suppress persons,other than the user, from seeing or carrying away printed matters forthe user.

In S55, the CPU 32 transmits a job list request for requesting a joblist to the target printer via the Wi-Fi I/F 20. In this way, the CPU 32receives the job list from the target printer via the Wi-Fi I/F 20. Thejob list includes one or more pieces of correspondence informationrelated to one or more print jobs stored in the target printer. Thecorrespondence information is information with which job IDs and filenames correlate with each other. Particularly, in the process of FIG. 2,when a plurality of target image files are transmitted to the targetprinter, the job list includes a plurality of pieces of correspondenceinformation related to a plurality of print jobs. As described above,the CPU 32 receives the Beacon signal from the target printer (YES inS40) and then transmits the job list request. That is, when it isseparated from the target printer such that it is not possible toperform the BT communication, that is, when a user does not desireprinting in the target printer, the CPU 32 does not transmit the joblist request. Therefore, it is possible to suppress wastefulcommunication from being performed. After it is determined that thedistance between the portable terminal 10 and the target printer isequal to or less than the predetermined distance (YES in S50), the CPU32 transmits the job list request. That is, when the distance betweenthe portable terminal 10 and the target printer is larger than thepredetermined distance, that is, when the user does not desire printingin the target printer, the CPU 32 does not transmit the job listrequest. Therefore, it is possible to suppress wasteful communicationfrom being performed.

In S60, the CPU 32 causes the display 14 to display a designation screenincluding one or more file names included in the received job list. Thedesignation screen is a screen for receiving a designation operation fordesignating one or more image files, which are desired to be printed bya user, among the one or more image files identified by the one or morefile names.

In S65, the CPU 32 monitors whether the one or more file names aredesignated when the designation operation is performed by a user. Whenthe one or more file names are designated, the CPU 32 determines thatthe determination result is YES in S65 and proceeds to S68.

In S68, the CPU 32 selects one or more job IDs correlated to thedesignated one or more file names by using the one or more pieces ofcorrespondence information included in the received job list.

In S70, the CPU 32 transmits a print instruction including the selectedone or more job IDs to the target printer via the Wi-Fi I/F 20. Theprint instruction is an instruction for causing the target printer toperform printing according to the one or more image files identified bythe selected one or more job IDs.

In S75, the CPU 32 changes the BT monitoring flag of the memory 34 from“1” to “0”. When S75 is ended, the process of FIG. 3 is ended. Until theBT monitoring flag in S38 of FIG. 2 is changed to “1” again, the processof FIG. 3 is not performed.

(Detailed Case; FIG. 4)

Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 4, detailed cases implemented bythe processes of FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described. In FIG. 4, Wi-Ficommunication and BT communication, which are performed between theportable terminal 10 and each of the printers 100 and 200, are indicatedby thin line arrows and a thick line arrow, respectively.

In T13, a user starts the printing app 40 to perform the searchoperation (the trigger of the process of FIG. 2). In T15, the portableterminal 10 transmits the printer search signal in a broadcast manner(S5).

The portable terminal 10 receives a printer ID “AAA” of the printer 100from the printer 100 in T20, and receives a printer ID “BBB” of theprinter 200 from the printer 200 in T25 (S8). Then, the portableterminal 10 displays the printer selection screen. In T30, a userselects the printer ID “AAA” on the printer selection screen (YES inS10). Then, in T40, the portable terminal 10 stores the selected printerID “AAA” (S15).

In T45, the user selects an image file F1 and print setting PS1 (YES inS20). In this case, the portable terminal 10 transmits a file name FN1of the image file F1 and the print setting PS1 to the printer 100 in T50(S25), transmits a standby instruction including the file name FN1 tothe printer 100 in T55 (S30), and transmits the image file F1 to theprinter 100 in T60 (S35).

Although not illustrated, when the file name FN1 and the print settingPS1 in T50 are received from the portable terminal 10, the printer 100generates a job ID “X”. Then, when the image file F1 in T60 is receivedfrom the portable terminal 10, the printer 100 stores a print job inwhich the job ID “X”, the image file F1, the file name FN1, and theprint setting PS1 are associated with each other in T65. Furthermore,the printer 100 repeatedly transmits a Beacon signal including theprinter ID “AAA” of the printer 100 itself as a condition of storing theprint job.

In T70, the portable terminal 10 receives the Beacon signal includingthe printer ID “AAA” from the printer 100 (YES in S40 of FIG. 3), anddetermines that the printer ID “AAA” of the Beacon signal coincides withthe printer ID “AAA” stored in T40 (YES in S43). Then, in T80, theportable terminal 10 calculates the distance between the portableterminal 10 and the printer 100 by using the transmitted radio fieldintensity and the received radio field intensity of the Beacon signal,and determines that the calculated distance is not equal to or less thanthe predetermined distance (NO in S50). In this case, the portableterminal 10 does not transmit a print instruction to the printer 100. Inthis way, it is possible to suppress persons, other than the user of theportable terminal 10, from seeing or carrying away printed matters forthe user.

In T85, the user further selects an image file F2 and print setting PS2(YES in S20 of FIG. 2). In this case, the portable terminal 10 transmitsa file name FN2 for identifying the image file F2 and the print settingPS2 to the printer 100 in T90 (S25), transmits a standby instructionincluding the file name FN2 to the printer 100 in T95 (S30), andtransmits the image file F2 to the printer 100 in T100 (S35).

In T105, the printer 100 stores a print job in which a job ID “Y” foridentifying the image file F2, the image file F2, the file name FN2, andthe print setting PS2 are associated with each other. That is, two printjobs are stored in the printer 100. Thereafter, the user of the portableterminal 10 approaches the printer 100 with the portable terminal 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the portable terminal 10 receives the Beaconsignal including the printer ID “AAA” from the printer 100 in T110 (YESin S40 and YES in S43 of FIG. 3), and determines that the distancebetween the portable terminal 10 and the printer 100 is equal to or lessthan the predetermined distance in T115 (YES in S50). In this case, theportable terminal 10 transmits the job list request to the printer 100in T120 and receives the job list from the printer 100 in T135 (S55).The job list includes correspondence information in which the job ID “X”and the file name FN1 are associated with each other, and correspondenceinformation in which the job ID “Y” and the file name FN2 are associatedwith each other.

In T140, the portable terminal 10 displays the designation screen (S60).In T145, a user selects the file name FN1 on the designation screen (YESin S65). In this case, in T150, the portable terminal 10 selects the jobID “X” associated with the selected file name FN1 from the job list(S68), and transmits the print instruction including the selected job ID“X” to the printer 100 (S70).

In T155, the printer 100 performs printing according to the image fileF1 associated with the job ID “X” by using the print setting PS1associated with the job ID “X” included in the print instruction. InT160, the printer 100 stops transmitting the Beacon signal.

(Effect of Present Example)

According to the present example, when the distance between the printer100 storing the two image files F1 and F2 and the portable terminal 10is equal to or less than the predetermined distance (T115 of FIG. 5),the portable terminal 10 selects the one image file F1 from the twoimage files F1 and F2 (T145) according to the designation operation ofthe user and transmits a print instruction for causing the printer 100to perform printing according to the selected image file F1 (T150). Inthis way, the portable terminal 10 can allow the printer 100 to performprinting according to the image file F1, which is desired to be printedby a user, of the two image files F1 and F2 (T155).

(Correspondence Relation)

The portable terminal 10 and the printer 100 are examples of a “terminaldevice” and a “printer”. The image files F1 and F2 are one example of Mimage files. The job IDs “X” and “Y” are one example of “M pieces offile information”. The Beacon signal is one example of a “specificsignal”. The distance between the portable terminal 10 and the printeris one example of a “target value”. The printer ID “AAA” and the joblist request are one example of “printer information” and an“information request”, respectively. The image file F1 is one example of“N image files”. The Wi-Fi I/F 20 and the BT I/F 22 are one example of a“first communication interface” and a “second communication interface”,respectively.

Second Example

Differences with the first example will be described. In the presentexample, the job list is included in the Beacon signal.

(File Transmission Process of Portable Terminal 10; FIG. 2)

The CPU 32 of the portable terminal 10 performs each process of FIG. 2similarly to the first example. In this way, the CPU 32 changes the BTmonitoring flag of the memory 34 from “0” to “1” (S38).

(Print Instruction Process of Portable Terminal 10; FIG. 3)

In S40, the CPU 32 monitors whether the Beacon signal including theprinter ID and the job list is received from a printer. S43 to S50 aresimilar to S43 to S50 of the first example. In the present example,since the job list is included in the received Beacon signal, the CPU 32skips S55. S60 to S75 are similar to S60 to S75 of the first example.

(Detailed Case; FIG. 6)

In the present example, after the process of FIG. 4 is performedsimilarly to the first example, each device performs the process of FIG.6 instead of the process of FIG. 5. In T210, the portable terminal 10receives the Beacon signal including the printer ID “AAA” and the joblist from the printer 100 (YES in S40 of FIG. 3). T215 to T260 aresimilar to T15 to T160 of FIG. 5.

(Effect of Present Example)

Also in the present example, the portable terminal 10 can allow theprinter 100 to perform printing according to the image file F1 which isa part of the two image files F1 and F2 and is desired to be printed bya user. Furthermore, in the present example, since the Beacon signal ofT210 includes the job list, the portable terminal 10 receives the Beaconsignal, determines that the distance with the printer 100 is equal to orless than the predetermined distance, and then transmits no job listrequest. In this way, the portable terminal 10 can quickly display thedesignation screen after determining that the distance between theportable terminal 10 and the printer 100 is equal to or less than thepredetermined distance, and can reduce a communication load.

Third Example

Differences with the first example will be described. In the presentexample, the portable terminal 10 selects only an image file, which istransmitted to and stored in a target printer by the portable terminal10, among a plurality of image files stored in the target printer.

(File Transmission Process of Portable Terminal 10; FIG. 2)

S5 to S25 are similar to S5 to S25 of the first example. In S28, the CPU32 of the portable terminal 10 receives a job ID, in which the file nameand the print setting transmitted in S25 are associated with each other,from the target printer, and stores the job ID in the memory 34. S30 toS38 are similar to S30 to S38 of the first example.

(Print Instruction Process of Portable Terminal 10; FIG. 7)

A trigger of FIG. 7 is similar to the trigger of FIG. 3. S140 to S150are similar to S40 to S50 of FIG. 3.

S155 is similar to S55 of FIG. 3. It is noted that the job list of thepresent example includes one or more job IDs related to one or moreprint jobs stored in the target printer, but does not include one ormore file names.

In S168, the CPU 32 selects the job ID in the memory 34 stored in S28 ofFIG. 2 from the one or more job IDs in the received job list. S170 andS175 are similar to S70 and S75.

(Detailed Case; FIG. 8)

Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 8, detailed cases implemented bythe processes of FIGS. 2 and 7 will be described. The portable terminal10 performs processes similar to T13 to T40 of FIG. 4. T340 and T345 aresimilar to T45 and T50 of FIG. 4, except that an image file F3, printsetting PS3, and a file name FN3 are used. In T350, the portableterminal 10 receives a job ID “Z”, in which the file name FN3 and theprint setting PS3 are associated with each other, from the printer 100,and stores the job ID “Z” (S28 of FIG. 2).

The portable terminal 10 transmits a standby instruction including thefile name FN3 to the printer 100 in T355, and transmits the image fileF3 to the printer 100 in T360. In T365, the portable terminal 10 storesa print job in which the job ID “Z”, the image file F3, the file nameFN3, and the print setting PS3 are associated with each other. T370 issimilar to T70 of FIG. 4.

On the other hand, the portable terminal 50 also performs processessimilar to T13 to T40 of FIG. 4. T410 to T440 are similar to T340 toT375, except that an image file F4, print setting PS4, a file name FN4,and a job ID “W” are used.

T510 to T520 are similar to T110 to T120 of FIG. 5. In T535, theportable terminal 10 receives a job list including the job ID “Z” andthe job ID “W” from the printer 100 (S155).

The portable terminal 10 selects the job ID “Z” stored in T350 from thetwo the job IDs “Z” and “W” in the received job list in T535 (S168), andtransmits a print instruction including the job ID “Z” to the printer100 in T540 (S170).

In T545, the printer 100 performs printing according to the image fileF3 associated with the job ID “Z” by using the print setting PS3associated with the job ID “Z” included in the print instruction. In thepresent example, since a user causes the printer 100 to perform printingaccording to the image file F4 after T545, it is highly probable thatthe portable terminal 50 will be approximate to the printer 100.Therefore, the printer 100 does not stop transmitting the Beacon signal.The printer 100 performs the printing according to the image file F4,and then stops transmitting the Beacon signal.

(Effect of Present Example)

According to the present example, when the distance between the printer100 storing the two image files F3 and F4 and the portable terminal 10is equal to or less than the predetermined distance (T515 of FIG. 9),the portable terminal 10 selects the job ID “Z” stored in the memory 34of the portable terminal 10 (T535). Then, the portable terminal 10transmits, to the printer 100, a print instruction for causing theprinter 100 to perform printing according to the image file F3associated with the job ID “Z” (T540). In this way, it is possible toallow the printer 100 to perform printing according to the image fileF3, which is a part of the two image files stored in the printer 100 andis transmitted to and stored in the printer 100 by the portable terminal10 (T545). In the present example, the portable terminal 50 is oneexample of an “apparatus different from the terminal device”. The imagefiles F3 and F4 are one example of “M image files”. The job IDs “Z” and“W” are one example of M pieces of file information. The image file F3is one example of “N image files”. The image file F4 is one example of“(M−N) image files”.

So far, detailed examples of the present invention have been describedin detail, but these are only examples and do not limit the scope of theclaims. The technology disclosed in the scope of the claims includesvarious modifications and changes of the detailed examples. Themodification examples of the examples are as follows.

Modified Example 1

In a detailed case of each example, the printer 100 stores two imagefiles; however, in the modification example, the printer 100 may storethree or more image files. In this case, the portable terminal 10 mayselect two or more job IDs of three or more job IDs. That is, “M” may bean integer equal to or more than 2, and “N” maybe an integer equal to ormore than 1 and smaller than M.

Modified Example 2

The printers 100 and 200 may be adjusted such that transmitted waveintensities of the Beacon signals in the printers 100 and 200 becomeequal to each other. In this case, the CPU 32 of the portable terminal10 may store in advance a predetermined received radio field intensitycorresponding to a predetermined distance stored in the memory 34, orinstead of S45 and S50 of FIG. 3, the CPU 32 of the portable terminal 10may determine whether the received radio field intensity of the Beaconsignal is equal to or less than the predetermined received radio fieldintensity in the memory 34, thereby determining whether a distance withthe target printer is equal to or less than the predetermined distance.That is, the “calculation process” can be omitted.

Modified Example 3

In S45 of FIG. 3 and S145 of FIG. 7, the CPU 32 of the portable terminal10, for example, may calculate a difference between a transmitted radiofield intensity and a received radio field intensity instead of thedistance between the portable terminal 10 and the printer. Then, in S50of FIG. 3 and S150 of FIG. 7, the CPU 32 may determine whether thecalculated difference is equal to or less than a predetermineddifference. That is, the “target value”, for example, may be thedifference between the transmitted radio field intensity and thereceived radio field intensity.

Modified Example 4

In the each example, instead of the printer ID, for example, an IPaddress assigned to a printer may be used. In general, the “printerinformation” may be information for identifying printers.

Modified Example 5

In the modification example, in S15 of FIG. 2, the CPU 32 may not storethe printer ID in the memory 34 and the Beacon signal may not includethe printer ID. In this case, S43 of FIG. 3 and S143 of FIG. 7 areomitted. That is, the “first storage control process” can be omitted.

Modified Example 6

In S30 of FIG. 2, the CPU 32 may not transmit the standby instruction tothe target printer. In this case, even though an image file is received,an operation mode for waiting printing may be set in the target printerin advance. That is, the “standby instruction transmission process” canbe omitted.

Modified Example 7

Each of the devices 10, 50, 100, and 200 may not include the BT I/F. Inthis case, for example, in S40 of FIG. 3 and S140 of FIG. 7, the CPU 32receives a Beacon signal, which is transmitted according to the Wi-Fisystem, via the Wi-Fi I/F 20 instead of a Beacon signal which istransmitted according to the BT system. That is, the “secondcommunication interface” can be omitted.

Modified Example 8

Each of the devices 10, 50, 100, and 200 may include an I/F forperforming radio communication according to a communication system (forexample, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) system), which is different from the Wi-Fisystem, instead of the Wi-Fi I/F. That is, the “first communicationinterface” is not limited to the Wi-Fi I/F 20, and may be an I/F forperforming radio communication according to other communication systems.

Modified Example 9

The “terminal device” is not limited to the portable terminal 10, andmay be a stationary apparatus (for example, a desktop PC and the like).The “printer” is not limited to the “printer 100”, and may be amultifunction peripheral and the like having a print function and otherfunctions (for example, a scan function, a FAX function and the like).

Modified Example 10

In the third example, a user may input account information assigned tothe user and may log in to the portable terminal 10 before the processof FIG. 2. In the present modification example, in S25, the CPU 32further transmits the input account information to the target printer.In the present modification example, the print job further includesaccount information corresponding to a target image file, and the joblist of S155 of FIG. 7 includes one or more pieces of accountinformation instead of one or more job IDs. In S168, the CPU 32 selectsaccount information, which is currently used for logging in to theportable terminal 10 (that is, corresponds to a user who is currentlyoperating the portable terminal 10), from one or more pieces of accountinformation in the received job list. Then, in S170, the CPU 32transmits a print instruction including the selected account informationto the target printer, instead of the job ID. In this way, it ispossible to allow the printer 100 to perform printing according to animage file which corresponds to the user who is currently operating theportable terminal 10 among one or more image files stored in the targetprinter.

Modified Example 11

In each example, the CPU 32 of the portable terminal 10 executes aprogram (that is, software), so that the processes of FIGS. 2, 3, and 7are performed. Instead of this, at least one of the processes of FIGS.2, 3, and 7 may be implemented by hardware of a logic circuit and thelike.

The technical elements described in the present specification or thedrawings exhibit technical availability singly or in variouscombinations, and are not limited to combinations disclosed in theclaims at the time of application. Furthermore, the technologiesdescribed in the present specification or the drawings simultaneouslyachieve a plurality of objects and achieving one of the objects has thetechnical availability.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium havinginstructions to control a printer, which performs communications by afirst communication protocol and a second communication protocoldifferent from the first protocol, to perform operations, the operationscomprising: receiving a plurality of print data from a terminal deviceusing the first communication protocol, the print data being an imagedata to be printed, the first communication protocol using a differentwireless communication technology than the second communicationprotocol; starting, in response to the receiving the print data, torepeatedly transmit a signal using the second communication protocol;receiving, after the transmitting the signal, a specific instruction,using the second communication protocol, causing to start a printaccording to the print data designated for printing by a user and is oneof the plurality of the print data already received in the receivingusing the first communication protocol, from the terminal device; andexecuting, in response to the receiving the specific instruction, theprint according to the print data.
 2. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the signalincludes printer identification information identifying the printer,wherein a specific instruction includes print-data identificationinformation identifying the print data, and wherein, in response to thereceiving the specific instruction, the print is executed according tothe print data that is identified by the print-data identificationinformation.
 3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according toclaim 1, wherein, in the starting to repeatedly transmit the signal, thesignal is a beacon signal, a destination of the signal being notspecified.
 4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according toclaim 1, the operations comprising: receiving a standby instruction fromthe terminal device, the standby instruction being an instruction fordelaying execution of the printing; and storing, in response to thereceiving the standby instruction, the print data.
 5. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, the operationscomprising: stopping, in response to completion of the executing theprint, the transmission of the signal.
 6. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the firstcommunication protocol is a Wi-Fi protocol configured to perform radiocommunication, wherein the second communication protocol is a Bluetoothprotocol configured to perform radio communication, wherein the printdata is received using the Wi-Fi protocol, wherein the signal is used tocalculate a distance and is transmitted using the Bluetooth protocol,and wherein the instruction causing to start a print according to theprint data is received using the Wi-Fi protocol.
 7. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, the operationscomprising: receiving a printer search signal from the terminal device;transmitting, in response to the receiving the printer search signal,printer identification information; receiving, after the transmittingthe printer identification information, the print data from the terminaldevice.
 8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according toclaim 2, the operations comprising: receiving, after the transmittingthe signal, a job list request from the terminal device; transmitting,in response to the receiving the job list request, a job list to theterminal device; and receiving, after the transmitting the job list, thespecific instruction including print-data identification informationidentifying a job, from the terminal device.
 9. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 2, the operationscomprising: transmitting the signal with incorporating a job list; andreceiving, after the transmitting the signal with incorporating the joblist, the specific instruction including print-data identificationinformation identifying a job, from the terminal device.
 10. A printer,which performs communications by a first communication protocol and asecond communication protocol, the first communication protocol using adifferent wireless communication technology than the secondcommunication protocol, configured to perform operations comprising:receiving a plurality of print data from a terminal device using thefirst communication protocol, the print data being an image data to beprinted; starting, in response to the receiving the print data, torepeatedly transmit a signal using the second communication protocol;receiving, after the transmitting the signal, a specific instruction,using the second communication protocol, causing to start a printaccording to the print data designated for printing by a user and is oneof the plurality of the print data already received in the receivingusing the first communication protocol, from the terminal device; andexecuting, in response to the receiving the specific instruction, theprint according to the print data.
 11. The printer according to claim10, wherein the signal includes printer identification informationidentifying the printer, wherein a specific instruction includesprint-data identification information identifying the print data, andwherein, in response to the receiving the specific instruction, theprint is executed according to the print data that is identified by theprint-data identification information.
 12. The printer according toclaim 10, wherein, in the starting to repeatedly transmit the signal,the signal is a beacon signal, a destination of the signal being notspecified.
 13. The printer according to claim 10, wherein the operationsfurther include: receiving a standby instruction from the terminaldevice, the standby instruction being an instruction for delayingexecution of the printing; and storing, in response to the receiving thestandby instruction, the print data.
 14. The printer according to claim10, wherein the operations further include: stopping, in response tocompletion of the executing the print, the transmission of the signal.15. The printer according to claim 10, wherein the first communicationprotocol is a Wi-Fi protocol configured to perform radio communication;and wherein the second communication protocol a Bluetooth protocolconfigured to perform radio communication, wherein the print data isreceived using the Wi-Fi protocol, wherein the signal is used tocalculate a distance and is transmitted using the Bluetooth protocol,and wherein the specific instruction causing to start a print accordingto the print data is received using the Wi-Fi protocol.
 16. The printeraccording to claim 10, wherein the operations further include: receivinga printer search signal from the terminal device; transmitting, inresponse to the receiving the printer search signal, printeridentification information; receiving, after the transmitting theprinter identification, the print data from the terminal device.
 17. Theprinter according to claim 11, wherein the operations further include:receiving, after the transmitting the signal, a job list request fromthe terminal device; transmitting, in response to the receiving the joblist request, a job list to the terminal device; and receiving, afterthe transmitting the job list, the specific instruction includingprint-data identification information identifying a job, from theterminal device.
 18. The printer according to claim 11, wherein theoperations further include: transmitting the signal with incorporating ajob list; and receiving, after the transmitting the signal withincorporating the job list, the specific instruction includingprint-data identification information identifying a job, from theterminal device.